Posted on

Pran Nath continued to study at the distant St. George’s College, trudging back and forth over the miles and miles of unending hill road. His health continued to deteriorate from the stress of the exertion as well as the studies. There were all kinds of nefarious characters along the route that made life miserable for Pran Nath. His honesty and goodness had become well known and people would exploit him. His friends had frequently borrowed his text books during examination time and not returned them. He frequently gave whatever money was in his pocket to the poor he met along the way, but, instead of being grateful, these poor people had begun to make fun of him and to tease him as he passed their way. There was a particular cobbler- a mochi, who was very offensive and who made Pran Nath’s life miserable.
As a consequence, Pran Nath became very sensitive to the behaviour of people who returned evil for good, and mistook generosity for weakness, and he would fall into a rage when teased. There was one evening when he did not come home at all, and Mateshwari was greatly worried even to the point of crying loudly till he came home.